Needle package



D. A. HAMILTON NEEDLE PACKAGE Feb. 20, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27, 1957 INVENTOR. DO/VAL D HHM/L 70N HTTUAN/.S

Feb. 20, 1962 D. A. HAMILTON 3,021,942

NEEDLE PACKAGE Filed June 27. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

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3,021,942 NEEDLE PACKAGE Bonald A. Hamilton, Burbank, Calif., assigner to Bon Baxter, lne., Glendale, Calif., a corporation of Nevada Filed .inne 27, 1957, Ser. No. 668,419

13 Claims. (Cl. 265-43) This invention relates to a needle container and to a hypodermic needle which may be advantageously used with said container. The invention is particularly concerned with an inexpensive container which adequately protects the needle and which can be used to put the needle on a syringe and to remove it.

Hypodermic needles are usually packaged in flat cardboard boxes. They are also packaged individually in sterile, glass tubes which are constricted near the top to support the needle by the hub. These glass containers are expensive, breakable, awkward to use and do not adequately protect the needle point. Cost is a particular problem with containers for disposable needles.

To place a needle from an individual glass container on a syringle, it is necessary to remove the container cap, place the syringle tip in the needle hub, invert the syringe ares lieten and container, remove the container, and tighten the needle on the syringe with the fingers. lf the operator is not ready to make the injection immediately, the conrainer is sometimes put back on Vthe needle. Since the hub of the needle was touched by the hand when it was tightened on the syringe, the hub can contaminate a portion of the container, which in turn can contaminate the needle cannula when the container is again removed.

After the injection, the needle is removed with the fingers from the syringe and discarded or cleaned for reuse. Needles are usually put on syringes as tightly as possible so that they will not leak or fly off under pressure. For this reason they are often dilicult to remove by hand. Moreover, there is a severe danger of infection, especially from hepatitis, if the operator accidentally stabs himself with the needle point. Discarded needles must also be handled very carefully to prevent injury and possible infection of janitors and other personnel. Precautions are also needed to prevent salvage and reuse of discarded needles by narcotic addicts or other unauthorized persons.

lt is the general object of this invention to provide a needle container which is inexpensive, unbreakable in normal use, and easy to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a needle container which can be used to help put needles on needle adapters in a sterile manner and to remove them.

Another object is to provide a needle container which allows the needle to be attached firmly to a lock-type adapter without removing the container from the needle.

Another object is to provide a needle container which adequately protects the needle point, which requires a minimum 0f storage and shipping space, and which can be conveniently used in an automatic needle dispenser.

Another object is to provide a needle container which will eliminate the danger of an operator stabbing himself with a needle.

Another object Vis to provide a needle container which l A still further object is to provide a needle which is easy to remove from a needle adapter.

The present invention will be more fully understood from the description of the preferred form of the invention given with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l `is a front elevation of the needle container.

FIGURE 2v is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken at right angles to the sectional view of FIGURE 2 and showing a modied container top.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing the needle of this invention.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view showing a modified form of the needle.

FIGURE 7 is a partial section showing the needle and container on a syringe.

Referring now to the drawings, the needle container generally indicated as 11 has -a long cannula tube 12, a tapered section 13, a hub section 14, and an adapter section 15. An annular notch or groove 12a may be provided between the cannula tube 12 and the tapered section 13. The top of the adapter section 15 has a rim 16 holding the cap 17 rrnly in place.

The container 11 is preferably made of a transparent, moldable plastic such as polystyrene or polyvinyl chloride. Cellulose acetate or nylon may also be used.

The inner surface of the hub section 14 has opposing lugs 18 and 19 which preferably taper inwardly at an angle of about 1 with the container axis as they approach the tapered section 13. The lugs 18 and 19 may extend on the outside surface of the hub section 14 to form the flanges 20 and 21. At the top of the hub section 14 the horizontal shoulder 22 extends outwardly to enlarge the diameter of the adapter section 1S, so as to receive an ordinary lock-type needle adapter.

The cap 17 has a cover portion 23, an annular groove 24, an annular bead 25, and a handle 25. The annular groove 24 and the bead 25 are adapted to snap over the container rim 16. The center of the cover portion 23 has a tube 27 extending into the container 11, and adapted to t with-in the bore of the needle hub. The tube 27 has a constricted opening 28 and contains a plug 29 of cotton or other porous material suitable for allowing the passage of steam or other sterilizing gas while preventing passage of bacteria. Alternatively, the top of the container 11 may be provided with a tamperproof closure in the form of a thin, porous lm 17a (FIGURE 3) cemented or heat sealed to the dat annular top 171:. The film 17a preferably has a porosity such that steam or sterilizing gas passes through but bacteria do not. Certain grades of glassine or laminates of glassine with porous or perforated plastic materials are suitable for this purpose.

The needle generally indicated as 40 has a pointed, metal cannula 41 and a plastic hub 42. The hub 42 has a passage 43 having a Luer or other standard taper. The inner end of the passage 43 has a sharply tapered section 44 and a relatively small passage 45, the latter adapted to tit tightly around the base of the cannula 41. Adjacent to the passage 45, a section 46 is molded in a frusto-conical shape and expanded to a cylindrical shape by forcing in the base of the cannula 41. Around the cannula a larger passage 47 is provided. The cannula 41 is attached in the passage 47 by the adhesive 43. Preferably, this adhesive is somewhat resilient so that differences in expansion and contraction of the cannula 41 and the hub l2 deform only the adhesive. Moreover, stresses on the cannula are taken up by the adhesive, thus preventing the cannula 41 from breaking at the cannula-hub junction.

The outside of the hub 42 has a tapered frustro-conical section 49, grooves d and ridges 51. The grooves 50 and ridges 51 taper in at an angle, for example, of 1, toward the cannula end of the hub 42. Opposite the `cannula 41 the hub may be provided with flanges 52,

adapted to lock the hub firmly in a lock-type adapter. The lianges 52 are dened by the surface 53 extending tangentially out from the cylindrical hub area 54 and by the surfaces 54a and 54h which are perpendicular to the -hub axis. The distal surfacerSS of the iiange 52 curves in a direction parallel to the hub axis. If desired, a small flange may be provided around the end of` the cylindrical hub area 54 to facilitate handling of the hubs by machine.

The hub 42 is preferably made of a moldable plastic resistant to stress cracking. Nylon and polychloroether, such as Penton marketed by Hercules Powder Company, have been found particularly appropriate. Other materials such a styrene, polyvinyl chloride, cellulose acetate and polyethylene could be used with less advantageous results.

The modification shown in FlGURE 6 is particularly useful as the hub of a very small hypodermic needle. In such small needles, the thickness of the wall hub may cause shrinkage when the part is cooled. rl`his shrinkage Asometimes results in dimensional changes of the part. To prevent such changes, the cannula end of the hub 5S is provided with a deep groove S9 giving a relatively thin walled section 60. Small needles are often used for administering expensive drugs. In such cases the cost of the drug remaining in the needle after injection lmay well surpass the value of the needle. The tapered section 43 of the hub 58 is therefore provided with a frusto-conical section 61 and a small diameter passage 62, which greatly -reduce the amount of solution in the needle.

Small diameter cannulas are often difiicult to attach to hubs in the same manner as large diameter needles. The passage 63, which tits tightly around the base of the cannula 41, is therefore provided with the resilient tighttting annular flap d4. The resilience of the thin ap allows the small delicate cannula to be centered in the needle hub without damage.

Referring now to FlGURES l-3, the needle 4l) is placed in the container 11 with the cannula 41 extending into the tube 12. rl'he lugs 1S and 19 t into two of the grooves Sit of the hub d2. to support the needle. A space 56 is left between the tapered section 13 of the container and the tapered section 49 of the needle hub. A large space 57 is left between the adapter section 15 and the lhub 42.

In making the needles, the cannula 41 is fastened in the hub 42 by an assembly machine. As a final step in the assembly, the needle is placed with the cannula up and oriented by the grooves 50. The container 11 is oriented by the lianges and 217 placed over the needle, and lugs 1S and 19 forced into two of the hub grooves Sli. The container 11, and the enclosed needle are lifted olf the needle holder, turned upright, and the cap 17 applied. The container and needle are sterilized by steam or by gas, and the units packaged for shipment. j

In use, the needles may be dispensed in the container 11 by an automatic dispenser. To make an injection, the cap 17 or 17a is removed from the container 11. A needle adapter of either the lock-type (FIGURE 7) or taper-type may be used. The lock-type adapter, such as is commonly used on a syringe, is generally indicated 'as 65. It has a male tapered member 6d encircled by a sleeve v67. The inner surface of the sleeve 67 has two sets of threads 63 and 69. Wrench slots 7? are provided to help remove tight needles from the adapter. A bore 71 passes through the adapter. The taper-type adapter is similar to the lock-type adapter except that it has no sleeve 67 or threads 53 and 59. The adapter 65, is placed in the space 57 of the container adapter section 15 with the male tapered member 66 in the needle hub passage 43., The container 11 is then twisted to Vseat the needle tirmly on the adapter dS. lf desired, the container can be left on the needle until the operator is ready to make the injection. The adapter`65 and the attached needle are then pulled away from the container 11.

if a lock-type adapter is used, the flanges S2 lock the needle iirmly to the adapter. Moreover, the flanges turn easily against the adapter giving a smooth feel as the tapered member ed seats in the 'tapered hub passage 43. Since the flanges 52 are of softer material than the usual metal adapters, they cannot score or otherwise damage the adapter. rIbis greatly reduces the tendency of the needle to stick on the adapter.

After the injection is made, the needle is put back in the container 11 and the container twisted to remove the needle from the adapter. Surprisingly, the needle can be easily removed even from the taper-type adapter by this twisting action. The cap 17 is then put back on the container and the unit discarded or if desired, returned to the hospitals central supply for cleaning, sterilizing and reuse.

When a used needle is discarded, it is desirable to destroy or damage the needle so that it cannot be used by narcotic addicts or other unauthorized persons. The needle of this invention may be so damaged by bending the container at the notch 12a, thus bending or breaking the cannula 41. The needle may be completely destroyed by burning the container and needle unit. Since the hub is usually made of a thermoplastic material, the needle is effectively destroyed.

I claim:

l. A hypodermic needle comprising: a pointed, metal cannula; a plastic hub having an open end; a bore through said hub; a portion of said bore being expanded from a frusto-conical shape to a substantially cylindrical shape by the base of sa'd cannula telescoped therewith, the bore wall iitting about the base of the cannula with increasing tightness toward its base end; a relatively large, cylindrical section of said bore; adhesive in the space between said large section and said cannula; said hub having an elongated, generally-cylindrfcal exterior, with a tapered, truste-conical section adjacent the metal cannula; grooves in the outer surface of said hub, said grooves having a taper towards the cannula end; the open end of said hub having two anges extending from opposite sides thereof; at parallel surfaces, perpendicular to the hub axis, defining the top and bottom of said flanges; and a curved outer surface on said flanges parallel to said hub ax's.

2. A hypodermic needle for attachment to a lock-type adapter comprising: a metal cannula; a plastic huh; a bore through said hub; said hub having an elongated, generally cylindrical exterior; tapered grooves in said eX- terior; flanges extending outwardly from said hub at the end opposite the cannula and adapted to thread into said adapter; dat parallel surfaces detinng the top and bottom of said anges, the edge surface of the flanges lying in a plane parallel to the hub axis and extending tangentially from tthe cylindrical hub and a relatively narrow curved outer surface on said anges.

3. A hypoderrnic needle comprising: a metal cannula; a plastic hub; a bore through said hub; a portion of said bore larger than said cannula, telescoped therewith, and contaning a resilient adhesive material; a portion of-said bore adapted to fit tightly around the base of the cannula and having a resilient, annular flap extending therefrom; a cylindrical section of said bore; a relatively deep groove in the exterior of the hub telescoping with said cylindrical section; and an enlarged tapered bore sect'on adapted to receive a tapered male adapter.

4. A hypodermic needle unit comprising: a tubular container; a section of the container adapted to receive a needle cannula; a cylindrical hub section and a relatively large, adapter section; two rectangular lugs extending into said hub section from opposite sides and running substantially the length of said hub section, the inner surface of said lugs tapering inwardly towards the cannula section; a needle mounted in the tubular container; the hub of said needle having two rectangular grooves on opposite sides thereof; the bottom surface of said grooves tapering inwardly towards the needle cannula; a space between the needle hub and the hub section of the container, the container lugs being wedged into the hub grooves to provide the sole means for holding and aligning the needle in the containerQ 5. A hypodermic needle comprising: a metal cannula; a plastic hub; a bore through said hub; a first portion of the bore larger than the cannula, telescoped therewith, and containing an adhesive; a second portion of the bore adapted to tit tightly around the base of the cannula; and an annular ap extending from the second portion of the bore along the cannula towards its base end.

6. A hypodermic needle as set forth in claim in which a portion of the bore having a frusto-conical shape is located between the iirst and second portions of the bore.

7. A hypodermic needle as set forth in claim 5 in which the thickness of the annular flap decreases towards the base end of the cannula.

8. In a hypodermic needle unit having a tubular container, a Section of the container adapted to receive a needle hub, a hub in said section, a bore through said hub and a removable cap on the container, the improvement comprising a hollow, axial tube extending inwardly from said cap into the hub bore and a porous filtering material in said tube.

9. A hypodermic needle unit as set forth in claim 8 in which one end of said tube is open to the atmosphere, the other end opens into the bore of the needle hub, and the porous filtering material is located between Said ends of the tube.

10. In a hypodermic needle unit having a tubular container including a cannula section, a hub section, an intermediate section between said cannula and hub sections, and a needle mounted in said container, the improvement comprising a space between said container and said needle; two lugs extending into said hub section from opposite sides and running substantially the length of said hub section, the inner surface of said lugs tapering inwardly towards the intermediate section; two grooves at opposite sides of the needle hub, the bottom surface of said grooves tapering inwardly towards the cannula end of the needle, the container lugs being wedged into the hub grooves to provide the sole area of contact between the needle and the container.

11. In a hypodermic needle unit having a tubular container including a cannula section, a hub section, an intermediate section between said cannula and hub sections, and an adapter section, a needle mounted in said container, the improvement comprising a space between the inner surface of the container and the outer surface of the needle; two rectangular lugs extending into said hub section from opposite sides and running substantially the length of said hub section, the inner surface of said lugs tapering inwardly towards the cannula section; flat parallel sides on said lugs lying in planes parallel to the container axis; two rectangular grooves at opposite sides of the needle hub, the bottom surface of said grooves tapering inwardly towards the cannula end of the needle; and

dat sides on said grooves lying in planes parallel to the hub axis, the container lugs being wedged into the hub grooves to provide the sole means for holding and aligning the needle in the container. e'

12. In a hypodermic needle container having a plastic body and a cannula section, the improvement comprising an annular notch on the inside surface of the cannula section whereby bending of the cannula section without breaking is facilitated.

13. A hypoderrnic needle unit comprising: a tubular container having an open end, a closed end, an inwardlyfacing,l circumferential surface and a removable means closing the open end; a needle mounted in the tubular container; a hub on said needle having an open end, a closed end, and a recess extending axially into the open end, said recess having a smooth, frusto-conical wall adapted to receive a male adapter having a smooth frustoconical outer surface; a transverse hub wall across the closed en'd of the hub; a cannula projecting only axially outward from said transverse wall, said cannula having a pointed end spaced axially from the hub and a blunt end located within the transverse hub wall; a portion of the cannula adjacent said blunt end being telescoped into the transverse hub wall and attached therein; and an outwardly-facing circumferential hub surface, said outwardlyfacing hub surface having a smaller diameter than the adjacent inwardly-facing container surface whereby said surfaces define a space substantially surrounding the hub and extending the entire length thereof; at least two longitudinal lugs projecting radially from one of the circumferential surfaces and at least two longitudinal grooves in the other of said circumferential surfaces, the width of said lugs being small relative to their length, said lugs extending across the space between the container and needle hub and being wedged into the grooves to hold and align the needle in the container; and opposed, interfering, circumferential surfaces on said lugs and grooves, at least one of which tapers axially inwardly toward the closed end of the container.

References cited in the ale cf this patent UNITED srArns PATENTS 1,364,862 Bruns Jan. 11, 1921 2,158,593 Scrimgeour May 16, 1939 2,291,149 Connor July 28, 1942 2,550,394 Young Apr. 24, 1951 2,557,420 Elliott June 19, 1951 2,601,065 Son June 17, 1952 2,676,591 Fox Apr. 27, 1954 2,677,373 Barradas May 4, 1954 2,728,341 Roehr Dec. 27, 1955 2,807,288 Shea Sept. 24, 1957 OTHER REF ERENCES Bishop Introduces-Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, vol. 82, No. 6, .lune 1946, page 19. (Copy in 12S- 221.) 

